The Chambers
by moonlite982
Summary: Anton has been forced to work in the gas chambers for years and has been overwhelmed with guilt until one day a young girl from his past, whom he never thought he'd see again, arrives at the camp and gives him hope in midst of pain and is shown that true love can withstand anything. Including death. *One-Shot.*


_So this isn't my greatest short story but it was stuck in my head after I watched a movie that dealt with the gas chambers during the Holocaust so I decided to sit down and write it out. Has nothing to do with the book and probably doesn't exactly match up with historical events but thats why this is fanfiction! :) My other story, Winds of Change will be updated soon! I know its been forever but I finally have a little bit of time now!  
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*Anton's POV*

"A new arrival is coming in in about twenty minutes. You will guard the end of the line and make sure they reach their destination. You know the drill. No one comes out and if anyone disagrees," a heavy gun is placed in my hands by the camp commandant. "You know what to do."

I have no words to reply as I stare into the cold eyes of the man that stands before me. All I can offer is a simple nod. Completely disrespectful but what more can they do? Shoot me? What would it matter? I am already dead inside. After you have seen what I have seen and have been forced to take part of such a notorious massacre, you simply cannot live. My beating heart is the only thing that keeps me breathing. I used to think that death would be a blessing but I will never be able to be at peace again, for not even God Himself would have the sense to forgive a wretched soul like me.

As I stand in waiting, I reflect for the hundredth time on how I got here. I honestly never thought I would be in this position. I had far greater plans. I was a successful young man who was in medical school, destined to be a great doctor and help thousands of people. But when the war started…plans changed…destiny reversed as I was forced to serve in the Third Reich. If I had refused to go, they would have killed my family in front of me so I did what I thought I had to do and agreed to go with the commanding officers. For six months I was trained to fight and forced to listen to everything Hitler had to say. I was one of the rare few who did not agree with anything Hitler and the Nazi's were doing. There was one brave man who stood his ground in his beliefs and for his rebellion, he was punished by death. When the head officer stood up and asked if anyone else felt the same way, the crowd, including myself, was silent. I felt ashamed but I was determined that if I could get through this, I would someday be able to get back to my family. I was wrong.

About a year after I'd been enlisted, I was ordered to go on a "mission" as some would say. Curious, I looked outside the window on our way to our destination and immediately knew where I was for we had just passed my old home. My neighborhood, which was once peaceful and a pleasure to live in was turned into a warzone. Mass chaos had broken loose. I watched in horror as my friends, neighbors, coworkers, classmates were brutally murdered right before my eyes and I could do nothing to save them. I was so sickened that I lost my lunch all over the back seat and everyone else did nothing but either stare or scold me. I slunk back in my seat and whenever we came into a town, the screams and desperate pleas and gun shots pierced my mind and my heart and no matter how hard I tried, I could not get rid of it.

When we finally arrived at our destination, the head commander came up to me and said in a wicked voice, "Toughen up, Reiker. This is just the beginning." Then he pushed me forward and I was greeted by the sight of eerie looking buildings that sent shivers down my spine. Then, in the distance, a whistle blew loudly and the sight of black train slowed its pace. My heart sunk and my face turned white for I remembered being told what those trains held and what the fate of the cargo would be. He slapped me on the shoulder and whispered, "Welcome to Auschwitz." And there would be the beginning of the worst years of my life.

I am now just a shell of the man I used to be. Two years I have worked here and it never gets better. I question why I am here. Why I haven't had the nerve to pull the trigger on myself yet and die the same way thousands of people have or I could have escorted myself down into the chambers. But if the opportunity ever came up, I would give a Jew my gun and let him take his best shot. I can no longer look any of them in the eye, especially the children as I watch them come off the train. If I am ordered to help them in the changing room, I keep my words few and repeat only the ones that I have been taught. Despite the malicious lie we were forced to tell them, I believe the majority know that a nice shower is not what was awaiting them in the next room.

I'll never forget an older gentleman, who was actually a Rabbi, come up to me after I was done talking and as calmly as he could, he whispered, "Tell me, son. The steam from that water will never fully clear my lungs, will it?"

I knew exactly what he met and normally, I would be ordered to lie and reassure him that everything would be ok. Yet that one time, I knew that the only thing that I could offer him was the truth. "I'm afraid not." I whispered sadly.

I waited for anger or hurt to flash across his face at the confirmation. Yet all he did was nod and offer a sad smile. "Take care of my belongings while I am gone." He said casually, keeping the façade up.

"I will." I promised meaningfully.

Then he shook my hand firmly and shortly after he put his belongings in their place, the door opened and people began filing in. He was the last person in and the last words he spoke to me was, "God be with you."

The door shut after that and before I gave myself the chance to hear the screams of the betrayed people behind the door, I ran out as fast as I could. My fellow officers did not come after me. They were used to it. Why they put up with it, I still do not understand. I technically could be shot for not fulfilling my duties but that would be too easy. They love watching people suffer. That is why they have me do what I do. They know I have a heart and they repeatedly continue to stab it. And I know the pain will never subside, for my heart aches for not only the ones being lead to their death but for the other workers as well, for a lot of them are Jews themselves and they are watching their own people die. They are just trying to survive themselves but little do they know that their day is coming too in just a couple months. But I cannot tell them that. It would not make a difference because like me, they are already dead inside.

So here I stand, a breathing dead man watching as the death train begins to unload its passengers. It's the same thing over and over again I try to tell myself. It's nothing different. Get over it. I try to harden my heart but it melts as soon as I see the majority are women and children. I hate these loads. They're the hardest to deal with. My father has always taught me treat women with respect, he would not even dare to hit a woman, much less a child. Yet this is what I see every day as they are pushed off the train and forced into a line leading to the chambers.

They hurry past me, following a few officers up front and to the side, not making an attempt to run because they know there is nowhere to go. Finally, I take the end of line and I see a young girl, probably about fifteen look up at me with big doe eyes and curly hair that's been shaved. I expect her to be afraid of me or be angry but she is silent and calm. She offers a small smile but I am too weary to return it, so I look away in anguish.

I look ahead and wonder why the line is not moving. Finally, a fellow worker explains, "They are still cleaning. It'll be about ten, fifteen minutes before they're ready. Don't worry about it though, they aren't going anywhere. The last batch was just a bit messy."

My stomach constricts and I almost lose my lunch right there but for the sake of the little girl, I regain my composure. "Ok." Is all I can say and he walks away, shouting orders in different languages.

I take a second glance at the young girl beside me and my face turns sheet white as I realize who is standing in front of me. Her eyebrows furrow together in worry. "Are you ok? You look so sad." I hear her say in a concerned whisper.

Oh no, not this. It can't be true but I know that it is. She has the same face, same voice as the young Jewish girl by the name of Patty Bergen that lived across the street from me. She was a very lonely and quiet girl, not having the most caring parents in the world. My family and I reached out to her and she became a dear friend to us all. We spent a lot of time together one summer and I will never forget how she was blossoming into such a beautiful person. When I had to leave, our goodbye was very sorrowful and I had promised to come back, though I knew it was very unlikely that we would see each other again. We both knew that.

I had thought of her often when I first left but once I started witnessing the horrors of the camps and the chambers, I pushed her out of my mind, not wanting to think about what she could go through. I never thought I would see her again but I have been proved wrong and my ultimate punishment for being a part of this massacre is having to personally escort my brave friend to her death.

Patty cocks her head to the side and says, "You look familiar."

My breathing is very shallow and I feel like the wind has been knocked out of me except the pain doesn't get better, it gets worse with every breath that I take. She takes a step closer to me and I flinch away from her, earning a hurt look from her as she tries to figure me out. I can't take it anymore and I run with tears blurring my vision, not caring that I just left my spot and what the consequences could be. I fall into the corner of a building, gasping for air but I feel suffocated and shaky all over. Why? Why of all people did it have to be her?

A moment passes and I see someone walk up. I expect to be yelled at but I am greeted by site of my old friend. She looks worried and kneels down in front of me. I shrink away like a child in trouble. She stares at me for a moment and then suddenly, she remembers exactly who I am then covers her mouth. "Anton?" She questions in a muffled voice.

I wince but nod anyways. "Hello, P.B." I whisper her nickname that only I could ever get away with calling her. Tears fill her eyes and I can't stand to look at her.

My chest constricts and the guilt continues to get heavier. "I am so sorry, Liebling." I choke out. "I have betrayed you so badly." I whisper shamefully.

She grabs my hands and says, "No you haven't, Anton. It's not your fault."

I look her in the eyes and say, "I have seen and done such terrible things, P.B. So many terrible and unforgivable things."

"You're not a horrible person, Anton. It doesn't matter if you are wearing the uniform or not. You're still you. You're still my friend. Just because you're here doesn't mean that my view of you changes."

My head snaps up and frustrated I say, "Do you not know where you are going? You are a smart girl, Patty and I know you are smart enough to figure out what I have been doing since we left." I slouch against the cold wall and close my eyes so that I could avoid hers. "We cannot be friends anymore, P.B. We are enemies, you and I."

"You always told me that I was a person of value. Well so are you. And I value you more than you will ever know and I don't want to lose you." She cries softly. "Not here. Not now."

I sigh sadly as I brush the hair from her face. "I do not understand how you can even look at me right now." I whisper.

She holds my gaze. "Because I love you, Anton. I always have and I always will." She says sincerely then she leans into my ear and whispers, "I forgive you."

I squeeze her hand gently and say, "You are the only bit of color that I have seen since this whole war started."

"You need to get up." she insists but I drop her hand and refuse.

"It's not worth it, P.B. I cannot do this anymore." I say as I close my eyes.

"Anton, please don't leave me." She cries fearfully.

I caress her face and wipe away her tears with my thumb. "I trust that you know where you are going?" I ask.

She closes her eyes and nods her head quietly. "Then you must know that I cannot go with you. I have been forced to be a part of this for so long but this is where it stops. I cannot lead you in there. I cannot be a part of your death." I gasp for air as I say those words. It hurts so much.

Tears fall rapidly down her face and she struggles to speak. "You don't understand. You are an answered prayer." Her voice cracks through a sob. "I have lost everyone. My whole family is gone. I was afraid of dying alone." I can see her shaking badly and I know that she is afraid. "Please…please don't leave me." she begs one last time.

What was left of my heart is gone now. Finally, I pull her into my arms and whisper into her ear. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise." I don't know what I'm going to do but I refuse to leave her side.

We sit there together, holding on to each other for dear life. No more words are needed. I think quickly about what I am going to do and come to a quick conclusion right as I hear the officers blowing their whistles, meaning they're getting ready to go in the chambers. I take a deep breath then quickly get up, pulling Patty up with me.

"We must go." I whisper hurriedly. I see the fear in her eyes and I grip her hand firmly in my own. "Together."

Finally, she nods and lets me lead her back to the line. We get back just in time before the other guards make sure everything is going according to plan. I affirm that there is no trouble and after one suspicious look, he shrugs it off then goes back to the front. "Let's go!" he shouts loudly.

Patty looks up at me quickly and I squeeze her hand, trying to comfort her. She takes a deep breath then bravely follows the others. The other women are murmuring and trying to console their weeping children with little success. The guards yell and push them forward, telling them shut up and keep moving. I flinch at the scene and look away. It never gets easier.

Soon enough, we're in the changing rooms and I have to resume my duties and recite my lines again. I keep a close eye on Patty as she tries to make her way to a hook to put her clothes on. I look away as she undresses and fight back the tears that threaten to fall at any moment. I know that now she has less than five minutes before the door opens.

"You're a Jew, huh?" I hear a fellow officer ask someone. Oh no, not this again. I look around to see who he's targeted this time. My stomach does a flip flop as I see that he has Patty pinned against the wall. I instantly want to help her but something holds me back as I watch the scene before me.

"I am." She answers bravely.

He laughs at her in a mocking tone. "Tell me then. If your "God" exists, then why are you here in this dark old place? Surely you've prayed for this to be over, so why hasn't He listened? Does he not "love" you?" He shoves her head into the concrete wall, causing a loud banging noise. "Tell me, Jew! I am very curious."

The whole room is silent, waiting for her response but I do not think anybody was ready to hear the wisdom that came from such a young girl's lips. "I have been in the camps for two years now and I have had the same questions. I will admit that I have been scared and I have felt abandoned by God. Yet at the same time, I have grown so much closer to him." She pauses briefly then looks at everyone in the room. "I believe in the sun even when it's not shining. I believe in love even when I don't feel it." Then she looks back at the officer and says, "And I believe in God even when he is silent."

Everyone, the officer included, was speechless. Those few moments were the quietest moments I'd ever witnessed. Finally, he throws her to the ground and firmly says, "Enjoy your shower." Then he silently leaves the room.

I hurry over to her and help her up. "That was very brave." I whisper.

"They can take everything I have except my faith." She simply replies.

I smile sadly as I smooth her hair back. "Tis very true. You will be in paradise very soon."

A few tears escapes her eyes, sliding slowly down her face. She motions for me to get to her level then she leans up and whispers in my ear, "I love you."

I pull back slightly but as I look into her eyes, she smiles softly. I stand up then wrap her in a hug, despite who is watching, which is close to no one since they have returned to finish undressing. I kiss her on the forehead then whisper in her ear, "I love you too, Liebling."

Minutes pass and too soon, the door opens. We both gasp at the same time and I try to calm the fear rising in my throat. "Anton!" She cries fearfully.

I squeeze her tightly. "Hush, little one. It's going to be alright." I whisper as I try to figure out what to do next.

To my horror and dismay, we are at our end and I have no choice but to let go. She tries to remain calm but she is shaking wildly. I kiss her again on the forehead and say, "Everything will be well soon. I promise, P.B."

"I love you." she cries over and over.

I kiss her one more time before the officer comes back. "Time to go." He snaps then grabs her arm and yanks her towards the door.

The moment I'd been dreading was finally there and I watched in horror as my dear friend was pushed deeper into the chamber. It hurt worse than anything I'd ever endured and I knew that if I went through with this, if I'd just sat by and watched…well, I couldn't live. It was simply out of the question.

I looked around and saw a Jewish worker that I'd known for a long time. I ran up to him before he closed the door. "Do not shut the door just yet. There is one more person who is in desperate need of a shower." I say in a rush.

For a brief moment, he looks confused but then his expression changes into worried. "You are sure? There is no going back." he asks.

I close my eyes. "I am aware." I reply quietly.

He nods sadly then looks back to make sure the other officer isn't looking then whispers, "Hurry."

My heart beats rapidly in my chest as I dive into the sea of bodies. It's dark, loud and overcrowded and I begin to panic when I can't find Patty. Any moment we will be gassed and I worry that I won't be able to find her before its too late. But several moments of struggling, I finally see her sitting in a corner with her face buried in her knees. I rush over to her and place my hand on her back. Her head snaps up and she looks up at me with wide eyes. "Anton, what are you doing?!" she shrieks.

I kneel down and take her face in my hands. "I promised I wouldn't leave you."

She throws her arms around my neck and I pull her into my lap and hold her close to my chest. "I'm scared." She whispers in a frightened childlike voice.

"It'll all be over soon." I whisper in her ear as I rock her back and forth. "Just be still."

I can't deny that I am shaking myself as I await our fate. I continue to whisper comforting words into her ear as we cling onto each other.

Suddenly, she relaxes and she looks up at me and says, "Believe in God even when he is silent. He is here now. We're going to be ok, Anton. You're right. We're going to be in paradise soon. You'll finally be at peace. You won't be sad anymore."

I cry as I continue to stroke her hair. "I believe you." I reply, meaning every word as I begin to relax and embrace our fate. "I love you so much, P.B." I whisper into her ear.

"I love you too, Anton." She whispers back and when the dim light comes on, I see her smile one last time.

I close my eyes and I feel Patty bury her face into my shoulder. I do the same and hold her as tight as I can.

Then suddenly panic breaks out through the whole room and the smell of gas begins to thicken. We both begin to cough and it feels like two hands are squeezing my neck. I can feel Patty shaking and I don't dare open my eyes. "It's…almost…over." I manage to get out as my grip loosens around her.

"I'll…meet you…there." She wheezes out. And those are her last words before she goes limp in my arms. One…two…three…and she's gone.

I almost panic before an overwhelming peace washes over me and I suddenly can't feel anything. My eyes close and are too heavy to open again. All the chaos, panic and despair begins to disappear until it is nothing but a faint whisper, an echo of what once was.

Black turns into grey which eventually turns white. It's so bright that I have to face away until my eyes adjust. But as it does, everything becomes clearer. I look down at myself and notice that I'm clothed in a complete white robe. I feel my throat and where bruises are supposed to be. I feel nothing. I try to think of the past but I find nothing but peace. The only thing I can do on my own is smile. I look around and see that I'm in a place man couldn't explain even if he tried, for all the words in the world could not even come close to describing how magnificent this place is.

I'm feather light as I walk through this new place and suddenly in a big field of what looks like wild flowers, a figure appears before me and starts walking towards me. As the figure comes closer, tears of joy flood my eyes as I am greeted by the sight of my dear friend, Patty. She is nothing less than perfect. Clothed in a glorious white flowing dress, her brown curly flowing freely and no scar or any sort of imperfection on how her that can be seen. She's laughing and chasing a butterfly barefoot in the field when she finally sees me and stops immediately. She takes a few steps toward, eying me cautiously before she breaks into a full sprint and wide smile. "Anton!" she screams in delight.

Joy overwhelms me as I run forward and wrap her into a huge hug. Tears run down my face as I hold her tightly. "We made it, Anton. We're finally here!" she exclaims excitedly.

I pull back slightly and I ask, "Where exactly are we, P.B.?"

She smiles brightly and says, "Take a look around, Anton." Each time I look the beauty and serenity of this place grows more intense that I can hardly believe we're here. "We're in paradise." She whispers excitedly and I can't help with smile and laugh.

Patty offers a hand to me and I take it. I look in front of me and see that almost every flower has a butterfly on it, creating a very colorful blanket over the field. We look at each other and without further word, we take off through the field together and everything comes to life in a bright and colorful explosion.

With every step we take we're farther away from our past. There is no more suffering here as joy and freedom have taken its place.

This is true liberation. This is paradise.

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There ya go! Thanks for reading! :)


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